Description
This Perfect Roast Turkey recipe guides you through brining and roasting a fresh turkey to achieve moist, flavorful meat with crispy skin. The turkey is brined with garlic, sugar, salt, peppercorns, bay leaves, and fresh herbs to enhance juiciness and flavor. After brining for 24 to 48 hours, the turkey is roasted at a moderate temperature until perfectly cooked and rested before serving.
Ingredients
Scale
Brine Ingredients
- 4 cloves of garlic, peeled
- ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 cup salt
- 1 tablespoon whole peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves, fresh or dry
- 3 sprigs fresh herbs of your choosing
- Water to fill a large stockpot halfway and then 3/4 full with ice water
Turkey
- 13 pound (6 kg) fresh turkey, cleaned
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Freshly chopped herbs (optional, for sprinkling)
Instructions
- Prepare the Brine: Fill a large stockpot halfway with water. Add the garlic, sugar, salt, peppercorns, bay leaves, and fresh herbs. Heat over high heat until it comes to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes until the sugar and salt dissolve completely. Remove from heat and allow the brine to cool fully.
- Brine the Turkey: Once the brine is completely cooled, fill the pot to 3/4 full with ice water and submerge the turkey entirely in the brine. Cover and refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours to ensure the turkey absorbs moisture and flavors.
- Preheat the Oven: Remove the turkey from the brine, rinse if desired, and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. Place the turkey in a roasting pan and leave it on the counter for 1 hour before roasting to ensure even and faster cooking. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 325°F (166°C).
- Prepare the Turkey for Roasting: Brush the skin of the turkey evenly with melted unsalted butter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. For extra flavor, optionally sprinkle freshly chopped herbs over the skin.
- Roast the Turkey: Place the roasting pan with the turkey in the preheated oven. Roast for approximately 3 hours and 25 minutes, or until an internal thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers 165°F (74°C), indicating the turkey is safely cooked.
- Rest the Turkey: Remove the turkey from the oven and tent loosely with foil. Allow it to rest for at least 30 minutes before carving to let juices redistribute, ensuring moist and tender meat.
Notes
- Brining the turkey helps it retain moisture and enhances flavor, resulting in juicy meat.
- Allowing the turkey to come to room temperature before roasting promotes even cooking and a faster roasting time.
- Using a meat thermometer ensures the turkey is cooked to the perfect safe temperature without drying it out.
- Resting the turkey after roasting improves juiciness and makes carving easier.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 570
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 509 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 3 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 70 g
- Cholesterol: 36 mg
